The invention relates to an apparatus for arranging and transporting articles, more particularly an apparatus for consecutively changing orientation of syringe assemblies and transporting the same from a first position to a second position and then to a third position.
The term "syringe assembly" as used herein is intended to include a syringe vial, a syringe needle provided at one end of the vial, an annular flange at the other end thereof and a plunger situated in the vial for injecting liquid medicament. A piston may be attached to an end plunger for providing a seal between the vial and the plunger.
The art of manufacturing and assembling syringe assemblies is well developed, so that all the members of the syringe assembly are substantially automatically assembled. In some cases, the syringe vial is sterilized and liquid medicament is filled therein. Such handling of syringe assemblies is disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,588,985, 3,597,826, 3,623,210 and 4,118,914.
In handling the syringe assemblies, the vials or syringe assemblies are reoriented for easily performing the various steps. U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,113 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 51,327, filed on June 22, 1979, by the same applicant as herein, disclose machines for consecutively inverting the syringe vials and transporting the same from one side to the other side. In these machines, the vertically oriented vials or syringe assemblies are completely inverted.
In performing the various steps, it is also necessary to arrange the vials or syringe assemblies transversely. Further, machines manufactured for handling each step or steps operate at various speeds, so that it is desirable to regulate feeding speed to the next machine in addition to change the orientation of the vials.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for changing the orientation of articles transversely and transporting the same successively.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for changing the orientation of articles transversely and transporting the same successively, in which the articles fed to the apparatus at one speed are successively transported at another speed.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.